Biomonitoring of pyrethroid exposure among rural and urban populations in northern Poland

The aim of this study was to determine for the first time in Poland, levels of exposure to synthetic pyrethroids in preschool and school age children and their parents living in urban and rural areas. For this purpose concentrations of pyrethroid metabolites: 3-phenoxybenzoic acid (3-PBA), 2,2-dibromovinyl-2,2-dimethylcyclopropanecarboxylic acid (Br(2)CA), cis-3-(2,2-dichlorovinyl)-2,2-dimethylcyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid (cis-Cl(2)CA) and trans-3-(2,2-dichlorovinyl)-2,2-dimethylcyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid (trans-Cl(2)CA) were determined in 374 urine samples using a validated GC-MS method. All measured metabolites were detected more frequently and in higher concentrations in rural areas. 3-PBA was detected in 77.4% and 93.8% of samples from urban and rural areas, respectively. Its geometric mean (GM) concentration in rural population was higher than in urban (0.364 vs. 0.223 ng ml(-1) and 0.272 vs. 0.155 mu g g(-1) creatinine, p < 0.0001). Among remaining metabolites, only cis- and trans-Cl(2)CA were detected in more than 50.0% of samples in rural population. Average concentrations of 3-PBA in children were higher than in adults, both in urban and rural areas. Moderate to very strong positive correlations were noticed between concentrations of pairs of pyrethroid metabolites in urine samples. Significant, moderate correlations between the concentrations of particular metabolites in parents and their children were observed in the urban population (range: r = 0.2911-0.3919 for non-adjusted and 0.3827-0.4693 for creatinine adjusted concentrations), while in rural areas there were no such relationship. Application of pesticide formulations on pets in the past 6 months was associated with increased 3-PBA urinary concentration. Further studies on pesticide exposure among children in rural areas are needed to identify and possibly reduce or eliminate the sources of exposure. (C) 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.